“You’re late.”
The Demon Lord’s lingering shadow had waited for an eternity, his will unbroken, seemingly just to utter this seemingly insignificant sentence, leaving people puzzled and Meng Qi full of confusion and surprise.
It seemed that as long as someone intruded, he would voice this deep obsession, causing his will to dissipate and his shadow to vanish.
Was this sentence meant for himself, for someone who never arrived after an eternity of waiting, or for someone who had gazed at him across the vastness of time?
If someone had obtained his legacy earlier, why would his will still exist, waiting to utter these words?
If he had sighed thus long ago, why would his obsession never fade, persisting until today?
An infinite number of questions flooded Meng Qi’s mind, leaving him unable to explain this eerie scene.
As the Demon Lord’s figure gradually dissipated, the pitch-black mountain suddenly shook violently, its cliffs sliding down and rocks shattering, as if struck by a terrible earthquake.
A deep rumbling arose from the depths of the dark sandy earth, continuous and undulating, with cracks appearing everywhere. A dark red blood moon trailed a long fiery tail, falling into the distance.
Boom!
The blood moon crashed down, exploding violently, filling the sky with smoke and dust.
Evil spirits screamed, but their bodies could not help but dissipate, black flesh falling away, white bones withering.
The entire Demon’s Grave presented a scene of impending apocalypse, seemingly on the verge of collapse, snapping Meng Qi out of his countless doubts.
Suddenly, his heart stirred. The Red Sun Evil-Repelling Blade slashed diagonally, embodying the profound mystery of Severing Purity to the utmost, leaving a beautiful trace with a faint charm, aimed at Xiaozi.
She had somehow released her acupoints, regained her martial prowess, her graceful figure darting forward like a swallow skimming water, launching a sudden attack.
Blade fell, palm turned, and the figure retreated.
“Xiaozi” smiled at Meng Qi, not the least bit remorseful, saying, “When did you figure out that I was no longer really Xiaozi?”
Meng Qi assumed the starting posture of Severing Purity, his face calm, his heart neither angry nor fearful, as he replied indifferently, “I’ve always been wary of you as if you were Gu Xiaosang.”
Whether or not she was truly Xiaozi, precautions had to be taken. Besides, the Demon’s Grave had already begun to collapse; as long as he wasn’t instantly killed, his chances of survival were great—if this place didn’t conceal the potential for life, he wouldn’t have even pushed open the door to enter!
Still, was it because his pressure point techniques were too weak, or did Gu Xiaosang possess another supreme martial art, capable of silently breaking free from acupoint constraints?
Gu Xiaosang giggled, “Thanks to the Master for comprehending the true essence of ‘Ananda’s Blade of Broken Precepts,’ otherwise I would have had to risk opening the door myself. Such a great kindness deserves a reward—I’ll leave you with your whole body intact.”
As her words faded, Meng Qi suddenly felt the nearby energy field shift, collapsing toward Gu Xiaosang, pulling him involuntarily forward. Meanwhile, the stone tablet inscribed with dragon-and-phoenix script, as if drawn by an invisible hand, floated into the air and flew toward Gu Xiaosang.
Meng Qi had no greed for the Heavenly Court’s Boundary Tablet, focusing entirely on confronting Gu Xiaosang. Although he now possessed the Storm of Pear Blossoms Needles, the Death-Seeing Dart, had advanced his Golden Bell Cover to the fifth stage, and had grasped the second move of Ananda’s Blade of Broken Precepts—”Falling into the Mortal World”—the gap between him and her was no smaller than the one between him and the Awakened An Guoxie!
Fortunately, he didn’t need to defeat her—only survive a little longer until the Demon’s Grave completely collapsed, completing the main mission beyond expectations, and he could return to the Cycle World.
However, facing an enemy with such a massive power gap, pure defense wouldn’t last long. Only by embracing a death-defying resolve and attacking as defense could he force his opponent to hesitate, buying himself time!
Meng Qi understood this clearly, without hesitation or reluctance. His left hand produced a black metal tube reflecting thunderous glints, cold and sharp.
Storm of Pear Blossoms Needles!
Using the collapsing energy field as cover, Meng Qi aimed at Gu Xiaosang and gently pressed the trigger. Instantly, silver light filled the sky like a rainstorm, rapidly shooting toward Gu Xiaosang.
At the same time, his right hand swung the Red Sun Evil-Repelling Blade. Greed, anger, ignorance, separation from loved ones, meeting with hated foes, fear of birth—worldly sufferings, past experiences, seemed to appear before his eyes.
After mastering “Falling into the Mortal World,” Meng Qi’s “Severing Purity” reached a deeper level. It was as if with one slash, the pure Chan forest transformed into an endless sea of suffering, inescapable and unwilling to escape!
Facing the dual assault of Storm of Pear Blossoms Needles and “Severing Purity,” Meng Qi’s strongest techniques, Gu Xiaosang’s flawless face still bore a gentle smile. She clapped her palms, and the energy field collapsed again, swirling before her into a terrifying vortex that caught the dense silver light.
Then, the vortex dispersed, the airflow scattering, carrying the needles flying in all directions, clinking as they landed.
After clapping her palms, the ribbons on Gu Xiaosang’s white dress all lifted, making her appear ethereal and divine. The surrounding area became suddenly serene, as if a compassionate and sacred voice descended from above.
“Red dust is like a prison, all beings suffer, the wheel of rebirth turns endlessly, worries never cease. Pity the people of this world, a god descends, the Eternal Mother, the Pure Land of Emptiness!”
“The Eternal Mother, the Pure Land of Emptiness!”
She changed from palm to finger techniques, drawing back the airflow, collapsing it before Meng Qi’s blade, generating an immense suction force, as if Meng Qi were willingly delivering his blade into her fingers.
Light condensed, blade scattered. Meng Qi staggered backward, feeling his blood and internal energy uncontrollably surge within. If not for his “Severing Purity” being no ordinary technique, he might have already turned into a dried corpse!
“Being able to make me use two ultimate techniques against you, I almost hate to kill you now.” Although the Storm of Pear Blossoms Needles posed a real danger to Gu Xiaosang, she did not press her advantage while Meng Qi struggled. She herself needed to recover. At the same time, she caught the Heavenly Court’s Boundary Tablet. Using some unknown method, the tablet rapidly shrank until it was only palm-sized, which she then stored away.
The Demon Lord’s shadow nearly vanished, the Nine Heavens Thunder Spear’s essence expanding and contracting continuously, seemingly unable to find a target.
The mountain shook violently, seemingly ready to collapse at any moment. In the distant dark land, deep chasms had completely split the earth.
“But who asked Xiaozi to like you?” Gu Xiaosang looked at Meng Qi, who had once again assumed his starting stance, smiling sweetly, “Let me test you with ‘Thousands of Threads and Myriad Nets.'”
As she spoke, a sudden gust of wind arose, chaotic airflows swirling. Meng Qi, feeling pressure in his forehead, vaguely sensed invisible threads wandering around, capturing, extending from all directions toward him.
This must be her weapon, Meng Qi suddenly realized. He then calmed his mind, preparing to use the newly comprehended “Falling into the Mortal World” to catch her off guard.
He had previously refrained from using the Self-Sacrifice Formula, intending to activate “Falling into the Mortal World” now!
Judging from the current situation, as long as this slash could interrupt Gu Xiaosang’s attack, he might survive until the Demon’s Grave collapsed.
The Demon Lord’s figure completely vanished, the purple lightning of the Nine Heavens Thunder Spear froze in midair, its will fading, its essence rapidly dissipating. Gu Xiaosang stepped forward, the threads gathering, slicing toward Meng Qi!
As Meng Qi was about to activate the Self-Sacrifice Formula, a sudden flash of purple light illuminated his vision. A deafening roar rang in his ears, stunning him completely.
The last bit of essence from the “Nine Heavens Thunder Spear” had changed, and a thick bolt of purple lightning directly struck Meng Qi!
Gu Xiaosang was greatly startled, unwilling to advance recklessly. She slid back like a dancer on ice, retreating gracefully.
Regardless of how much essence the Nine Heavens Thunder Spear had lost, as a symbol of the ancient Thunder God’s authority, it possessed profound mysteries. Under no circumstances should one face it head-on unless absolutely necessary.
Meng Qi was locked onto by the last essence of the Nine Heavens Thunder Spear. His soul and body felt paralyzed, as if struck by lightning, completely unable to move, forced to watch helplessly as the purple bolt struck his wrist.
Boom!
This thunderclap exploded within Meng Qi’s body. He felt the acupoints related to his ears being forcibly opened one by one.
Boom!
The thunder roared again, but this time lacking the mysterious resonance that shook the acupoints directly. However, purple electricity coursed around his body, crackling continuously, refining his Golden Bell Cover, causing the golden glow to flicker on and off, gradually becoming more refined.
Boom!
The sound gradually faded. Meng Qi regained his senses, finding the purple lightning gone, while a bright purple mark shaped like a lightning bolt now adorned his wrist, exuding a faint sense of majesty and nobility.
The lightning mark contracted inwardly, slowly disappearing. Yet Meng Qi knew that if he fully activated it, the mark would reappear on his wrist.
“What does this mean?” Meng Qi was quite bewildered. Why had the essence of the Nine Heavens Thunder Spear chosen him, and what purpose did this lightning mark serve?
Moreover, during the lightning’s cleansing, his Golden Bell Cover’s fifth stage had rapidly improved, nearing completion.
Most importantly, the thunder, seemingly from the highest heavens, carried unimaginable sonic mysteries, opening nine related acupoints connected to his hearing. All he needed to do now was refine them.
Normally, Meng Qi’s refinement of each acupoint involved three steps: stimulating it with true energy, slowly opening it, and then refining it accordingly. The first two steps consumed the most time. Therefore, he had originally planned to spend six or seven months refining the acupoints related to his hearing. Now, he could complete the process within a month, saving enough time to attempt normal cultivation without medicinal assistance, thereby eliminating potential flaws.
These thoughts flashed through Meng Qi’s mind, then vanished as he refocused. A formidable enemy was still present; he couldn’t afford to be distracted.
Gu Xiaosang looked at the scene with great surprise, her expression dazed, lips slightly parted, rarely displaying a youthful innocence.
She quickly regained her composure, smiling at Meng Qi, “Well then, we’re even. I obtained the Heavenly Court’s Boundary Tablet, and you received the essence of divine lightning. Now you can die in peace.”
Before her words had fully faded, with the Demon Lord’s will dissipated and the essence of the Nine Heavens Thunder Spear gone, the entire black mountain slowly began to collapse. The peak’s water surface rippled, as if something had been broken.
“Little monk?” Jiang Zhiwei appeared at one corner, sword in hand, her face pale, slightly surprised at seeing Meng Qi.
However, she quickly regained her composure, assuming the starting stance of the Yama Edict against Gu Xiaosang.
On the other side, Qi Zhengyan, his body stained with blood, appeared as well, his usually expressionless face showing a trace of bewilderment.
The crimson glow shifted, and he warily eyed Gu Xiaosang.
Observing this situation, Meng Qi pondered. Perhaps from different paths, one encountered different stone gates and peak views—this might have been an illusion or a superposition of different spaces.
Yet, since they all eventually converged here, this must be the true location where the Demon Lord’s will and shadow existed.
Instantly, Gu Xiaosang found herself surrounded, yet she showed no fear, smiling sweetly at Jiang Zhiwei, “It seems you’ve used ‘Sword of Selfless Void’ again. Your condition doesn’t seem too good.”
Without waiting for Jiang Zhiwei’s reply, she carefully examined Qi Zhengyan, her expression slightly odd, “You actually survived the ascent?”
As she spoke, her body gradually became transparent, surrounded by white lotuses exuding a fragrant aroma.
After obtaining the Heavenly Court’s Boundary Tablet, her mission was complete. As for the main quest, she had already prepared for the deduction of merit points.
Therefore, she seized the moment before the battle commenced, choosing to return without hesitation.
Seeing Jiang Zhiwei in poor condition and unwilling to fight Gu Xiaosang to the death in this place, Meng Qi merely watched her departure—she was nearly unscathed, while he and Qi Zhengyan, though each possessing powerful techniques, still faced a massive power gap and had similarly suffered great depletion.
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